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Above and below: Tejendra Khanna and Shiela Dikshit, respectively - two Hindu bureaucrats who have a history of corruption and anti-Sikh stance, are to decide on the 1984 mass-murderer's early release.

1984

The Butcher of Trilokpuri:
His Premature Release Being 'Reconsidered'

by NAVJEEVAN GOPAL

 

 

 

Citing the outrage of the community opposing the commuting of the life sentence of Kishori Lal, who was convicted of multiple murders in the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms in Delhi, the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Tejendra Khanna has sent Lal's case back to the Sentence Review Board (SRB) headed by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Khanna’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Group Captain Ranjan Mukherjee said that Lal’s case was sent to state SRB for reconsideration in view of the inappropriateness of the decision to commute the sentence of a mass-murderer.

“The SRB has been asked to reconsider the Lal’s plea pertaining to premature release ...,” Mukherjee added.

Citing good conduct and other parameters, the Tihar jail authorities had submitted to the SRB that the sentences of 36 life convicts be commuted. After the perusal of the cases by the SRB, which then sent a list of shortlisted cases from the said 36 for L-G’s approval, the life sentence of 15 convicts, including Lal, was commuted by Khanna.

Lal was sentenced seven times to death by the lower courts for stabbing victims during the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms. Later, the Supreme Court reduced those sentences to life imprisonment.

A resident of East Trilokpuri and a former butcher, 48-year-old Lal, who is now widely known as the ‘Butcher of Trilokpuri’ because of his crimes, has already already spent 16-years in jail.

After the commutation of his sentence came to light, a number of bodies expressed resentment over the issue. While All India Sikh Students Federation announced to move the Delhi High Court challenging the L-G order, a delegation met Khanna on Monday and told him that there was a widespread anger in the community .

Others pointed out that double standards were being adopted while deciding the case of Kishori Lal and Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, who is on death row for allegedly carrying out a blast outside the Youth Congress headquarters in New Delhi in 1993. Davinder Pal Singh's mercy plea was rejected by the President in May 2011.

“On one side, Lal who committed multiple murders is being ordered to go free. On the other side, the mercy plea of Davinder Pal Singh was rejected. It is a clear case of double standards,” said a spokesman.

 

[Courtesy: Indian Express. Edited for sikhchic.com]

February 15, 2012

 

 

Conversation about this article

1: R. Singh (Canada), February 15, 2012, 1:55 PM.

What a sham! Perhaps it is time consider the international courts.

2: Harpreet Singh (Delhi, India), February 15, 2012, 2:58 PM.

Although I do not agree with all the comments, we cannot forget the painful killings and atrocities on Sikhs all over India in the recent past and the toll it has taken. Do not Sikh-Indian are not affected by such news but they have no alternative except do ardaas. Gurbani tells us in many shabads about the wrong-doings of rulers. See how real democracies like the U.S.A. did not allow large scale killings after 9/11 and instead immediately punished the killers of Sardar Balbir Singh Sodhi. Our "leaders" who control big gurudwara management committees always honour and get photographed with such rulers on the Sikh stages but never deal with our real issues. However our sincere prayers that Waheguru ji grant solace, comfort, love, affection, chardi kalas, well being to all Sikh and other sufferers and all suffering humanity as also to grant wisdom and sumat to our rulers. Someone was telling that all the Sikhs living in the colonies where the maximum killings of Sikhs took place in 1984 want to sell their properties and shift to some other areas but no one is there to guide or help them as our leaders are too busy in organizing lavish kirtan darbars and nagar kirtans, and we in the community are busy organizing wasteful marriage parties, functions, etc.

3: Roop Dhillon (Reigate, United Kingdom), February 16, 2012, 6:44 PM.

Indian justice is a joke!

4: Jaz Singh (London, Engalnd), February 16, 2012, 10:17 PM.

The life of a minority in India, be they Sikh, Muslim or Christian, is very very cheap. Had a Sikh butcher stabbed to death several Hindus during a communal massacre he would have been arrested, beaten, tried and executed within weeks of being caught.

5: Gurcharan Singh  (London, United Kingdom), February 17, 2012, 12:41 PM.

It is becomming very brazen ... the doors of Justice are being closed, one by one, for India's Sikhs. Increasingly, Sikhs are being forced to reconsider their own position in India. Shame that even after 28 years since 1984, the Congress has not learnt its lesson and is bent on denying Sikhs justice. How can Sikhs forget the genocide of 1984?

6: Ravinder Singh Khalsa (U.S.A.), February 18, 2012, 8:02 PM.

There is no justice in India for Sikhs. The only place Sikhs will be safe and free from murderers, rapists, etc. is in their own nation state, Khalistan. You have to be blind and stupid to think there is another option, considering our predicament today.

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His Premature Release Being 'Reconsidered' "









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